The theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is Skills for Life, and that’s a core value that we extoll for all our people, not just our apprentices.
Skills for life are developed throughout your career, which is why we focus on lifelong learning. But what skills for life might you need, if you are thinking about property as a career through the apprenticeship route?
We spoke to people from across the business, to ask what, in their experience, the top skills for a life in property are.
Craig Fillingham, Partner, Building Consultancy
- Embrace progress and adapt to change
It’s important to be aware of new technology, trends, statutory influences, and global influences on the market within which we operate and the clients we support. We must always be ready to adapt to provide an attractive offering to our clients – both existing and new.
- Engage with and understand wider roles
It is important to engage with and understand the roles of other property professionals outside of your own discipline. This helps to forge closer bonds with our professional network and, working as a team, offers clients an enhanced and more complete package when delivering instructions.
This has many benefits, it creates a trusted network amongst peers and external professionals, and it helps to give clients confidence in their suppliers which leads to business opportunity / repeat business.
- Problem solving
It is important to develop problem solving skills and to learn how to be creative in developing solutions to challenges, as this will be a core skill you will need to deploy with clients in the future. As part of this, it is important to learn to understand a client’s problem or challenge quickly, as this creates a solution driven environment which clients will love and come to rely upon.
Maria Hoadley, Partner, Commercial Agency
- Learn to take on board constructive feedback
Don’t take criticism or feedback negatively – rather, use it to improve / advance on your skillset and turn it into a positive.
- Be confident in who you are and your ability
Do not be deterred by being female in a predominantly and historically male environment. Whilst more and more women are working in property and things have substantially changed since the 1990s, barriers will still exist in certain environments. So, believe in your self-worth and your ability to carry out your job.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Do not fear reaching out to colleagues if you need a sense check, no matter how progressed or at what level you are. Always ask for help / advice if you need it.
For me, the skills that I developed which have benefitted me the most, have been to be personable, approachable and honest at all times. Building trust strengthens long term relationships which realise into longer term prospects.
Do not be deterred by being female in a predominantly and historically male environment. Whilst more and more women are working in property and things have substantially changed since the 1990s, barriers will still exist in certain environments. So, believe in your self-worth and your ability to carry out your job.
Carl Grint, Partner & Head of Property Asset Management
- Good communication skills are vital
Communication has been a pivotal skill throughout my property career. Being able to effectively convey ideas, negotiate deals, and build relationships is crucial in the dynamic and outgoing property community.
The ability to connect with various people in our industry, coupled with a touch of extroversion, has also proven beneficial. I’m not a natural extravert and have had to work on enhancing that characteristic.
- Analytical problem solving skills
The skill that has consistently benefitted my clients the most is problem-solving. Rooted in my mathematical background, the analytical thinking developed during my degree remains a cornerstone.
This skill empowers me to dissect complex issues, devise effective solutions, and ultimately assist clients in achieving their objectives. The motivation to apply problem-solving skills is a driving force in delivering successful outcomes.
Stephen Hobbs, Partner & Head of Valuation
- Hard work and commitment
I realise that we are not digging holes or laying bricks here, but you have to be committed to what you are doing, be prepared to take on opportunities when they present themselves (even if the timing isn’t ideal) and then be able to find a way of ‘getting it done’ for your clients.
- Time management
Being able to balance and prioritise time is a key skill for life. The nature of professional practice is that it is slightly unpredictable.
To be able to manage current jobs / instructions whilst also responding to e-mails or phone calls from clients, responding to enquiries for new work, dealing with queries on completed projects, managing people, and thinking about Business Development, means that being organised is imperative.
- Be personable and focusing on relationship building
Be sure to be personable with your colleagues and with clients. There have been changes over the last 10 years or so that have taken away individual contact and personal relationships and replaced them with technology and process, but much of the property world is still a ‘people business’. Being able to develop relationships with clients, other professionals and with colleagues at all levels, is vital.
One of the most important skills I have gained in my career has been the ability to understand / consider a broad range of factors and distil them into the advice provided to clients.
The valuation of a property can be impacted by multiple issues: the local market, macro-economic factors, financial, construction, environmental, planning. In order to provide the best advice, it is necessary to develop an understanding of all of these factors and apply them to your client’s needs.
If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeship programme, get in touch with Learning & Development Manager, Tanya Horscroft.
